In his report, Flexner made the following comments relative to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine: “Since the present management took hold last fall, the admission of students has been more carefully supervised, the building has been put in excellent condition.... Whole-time instructors of modern training and ideals have been secured... A new building is in the process of erection...” Flexner went on to cite the school as an example of what could be accomplished through sound University Management.

At the end of World War II, active planning for a major change was initiated with the encouragement and assistance of the Mellons, a prominent Pittsburgh family.

With increased facilities and faculty, the School of Medicine began to be recognized as a major center for research in a number of areas.

In turn, the faculty of the School of Medicine attracted appreciable support for research and training from the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine curricular infrastructure combines a lecture-and problem-based curriculum with early and in-depth clinical experiences and an integrated organ systems approach to the pre-clinical sciences.

Key subject matter is longitudinally integrated throughout the curriculum, building upon a foundation of prior learning while providing a level-appropriate and well-synchronized introduction of new content.

The basic science block runs through three-fourths of the first year and provides language and concepts that underlie the scientific basis of medical practice.

An innovative system of Web-based learning portfolios facilitates learner-mentor communication and enriches the possibilities for collaboration within and beyond the university.

The Scholarly Project immerses students in scientific investigation to foster data collection, hypothesis-development, and research skills that are critical to the practice of clinical medicine.

[16] The medical school maintains the curriculum online via the Navigator system, a family of Web-based applications with domain-specific courseware to support student achievement of course objectives.

Students have access to various online resources such as digitized images, syllabi, practice quizzes, podcasts, and other material associated with specific instructional units.

[18] In an analysis of National Institutes of Health funding for the federal fiscal year 2016, the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh ranked fifth in total grants awarded, with more than $513 million in funding—approximately 90 percent of which went to the School of Medicine.

[19] UPMC is considered a leading American healthcare provider, as its flagship facilities have ranked in the U.S. News & World Report "Honor Roll" of the approximately 15 to 20 best hospitals in America for over a decade.

[20][21] In 2017, for the 18th time in recent years, UPMC appears on the U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals.

UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside ranked 14th overall, making it the highest-ranked medical center in Pittsburgh, and was one of the only 20 hospitals nationwide that made the Honor Roll of the “nation’s best” in the 2017's survey.

[23] The School of Medicine offers a variety of programs leading to the Doctor of Philosophy, the Master of Science, or a certificate.

Students in this program operate at the exciting interface between basic bench-top biology, computational analysis of big data sets, and the emergence of 21st century clinical translation.

In examining candidacy, the admissions committee will consider: 1) Undergraduate, post baccalaureate, and graduate records, 2) MCAT scores, 3) Independent and advanced study, 4) Research, 5) Work experience, 6) Extracurricular activities, including depth and breadth of interests and activities outside the classroom, volunteer activities, community service, student government, hobbies, clubs, athletics, 7) Academic and personal recommendations, 8) Personal character: integrity, communication skills, leadership, motivation, creativity, 9) Supplemental essays and 10) Personal interviews In addition to thorough preparation in the basic sciences, applicants should have a strong liberal arts education with demonstrated accomplishment in the humanities and social sciences.

Acceptance of courses taken at foreign universities is determined on an individual basis at the discretion of the dean of admissions and financial aid.

[32] Some of the major aims of the School of Medicine's research include monitoring gene expression and its consequences on a cell, in vivo, and on a molecular scale using nuclear magnetic resonance.

[34] The Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) supports the educational, research, clinical, and service activities of the health sciences community of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) through development and provision of innovative information resources and services.

The HSLS serves more than 55,000 primary clients, including health sciences faculty, staff, students, residents, and employees of UPMC hospitals.

Construction of the building, designed by the architectural firm Schmidt, Garden and Erickson, was interrupted by a fire in June, 1955 that destroyed girders and concrete work.

The building is attached to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital and contains classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, and the Falk Library of the Health Sciences.